Lubricant reservoir for railway car axle journals



July 6, 1954 I H. M. GILLESPIE LUBRICANT RESERVOIR FOR RAILWAY CAR AXLE JOURNALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 23. 1950 INVENTOR.

Patented July 6, 1954 LUBRICANT RESERVOIR FOR RAILWAY CAR AXLE JOURNALS Harvey M. Gillespie, Chicago, 111., assignor to Standard Car Truck Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 23, 1950, Serial No. 202,476

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in railway car journal lubrication, and relates particularly to an improved device for supplying an adequate and contamination-free lubricant to the axle journal and bearing at all times.

The conventional railway car journal box is so constructed as to afford distribution of the weight of the car onto the axle journals by means of a wedge interposed between the upper inside surface of the journal box and a journal bearing or brass having a bearing liner of babbitt or similar bearing metal which makes bearing contact with the upper surface of the axle journal. Such journal boxes are designed to position the wedge and brass properly therein, and at the same time are provided with oilsoaked waste contacting the underside of the journal for the lubrication of the journal and the bearing liner. Ordinarily, means are provided to prevent the ingress of dirt or other foreign material into the journal box where the axle journal protrudes into the journal box, such means being generally in the form of a dust guard shield surrounding the journal and retained in dust guard slots formed in the journal box castmg.

Under severe conditions of operation it is not entirely possible to prevent the entrance of dirt into the journal box, and the severe jolting of the journal box and hearing, such as may be occasioned by humping adjacent cars together, has caused the resultant contaminated waste to become dislodged, whence strands of the waste have been grabbed by the rotating journal and drawn between the journal and bearing to the damage of the bearing liner. The dirt or other foreign material entering the journal box has oftentimes also created a condition known as glazing of the waste, which greatly reduces its wick action, sometimes resulting in hot boxes causing extended delays and making necessary expensive repairs. The flexible and rigid reservoirs heretofore proposed have generally required special modification of the bearing brass or other parts of the bearing structure or they have not made suitable provision to maintain the reservoir sealed against loss of oil when the halobitt liner of the bearing element becomes worn. It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a flexible reservoir which includes yieldable portions to facilitat application of the reservoir to its operative position and which is supported on the axle, as distinguished from the bearing or box and which will yield to compensate for change in position of the journal bearing as a result of wear of its liner and which will also maintain a fluidtight seal during both rotational and lengthwise movements of the axle relative to the reservoir.

According to the present invention use is made of the rotating journal to support a resilient and flexible lubricant reservoir which cooperates with a standard brass or journal bearing to hold the reservoir in position against rotation and to provide with the flexible reservoir a seal against the escape of lubricant and the entrance of dirt or foreign material to the lubricant retained within the reservoir. The flexible reservoir is substantially cylindrical in shape and is formed with a lubricant seal fitting the dust guard bearing of the axle journal, thereby making unnecessary the use of the conventional dust guard. The other end of the reservoir is closed with a substantially circular end wall having a semi-circular flange extending inwardly therefrom which is adapted to be supported on the collar at the outer end of the axle journal, a wearing strip being bonded to the inner side of the semi-circular flange and resting upon the collar of the rotating axle journal. The lubricant reservoir is preferably formed with cylindrical walls of different thicknesses, the thicker wall, serving as a semirigid frame, is provided with a rectangular opening having a pair of sides adapted to flank the ends of the journal brass to provide a fluid seal and the other pair of sides adapted to bear with sealing fit against the opposite longitudinal edge faces of the brass on each side of the axle journal. The thinner wall section of the reservoir is continuous With the thicker wall and adapted to underlie the journal and hold a supply of lubricant thereagainst, the flexibility of the thin Wall section enabling the lubricant reservoir to be easily positioned with respect to the axle journal, and to yield with its supply of lubricant in theevent the car is severely jolted or jarred, thereby insuring that the thicker wall section may not be distorted by the inertia effect of the filled reservoir, and thereby also insuring that the seal afforded by the thicker wall portions will be maintained at all times.

The normal wearing tendency of the bearing liner is compensated for by forming the sides of the reservoir which bear against the undersides of the journal brass with portions which are adapted to yield to compensate for wear of the bearing line or upward movement of the bearing relative to the journal such as may be occasioned by severe jolting. However, portions of the reservoir, preferably springs, constantly provide pressure of the reservoir against the under longitudinal edge faces of the bearing and thereby resist rotational movement of the reservoir as a result of its frictional bearing on the dust guard bearing and on the collar of the axle.

With the foregoing considerations in mind it a is further object of the invention to provide a lubricant reservoir for a contamination-free supply of lubricant, which reservoir is characterized by being adapted for use with the conventional journal bearing construction of a railway car truck.

Another object is to provide a resilient reservoir for an axle journal which can be supported upon the axle journal and maintain fluidtight seals with the rotating axle and with the standard journal brass, the said sealing being maintained regardless of the wear of the journal bearing element.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the following description taken with the drawings. The said drawings illustrate a preferred embodi ment of the invention and what is new considered to be the best mode of applying the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention as may fall within the purview and scope of the appended claims are intended to be reserved.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical cross-section through a railway car journal box having embodied therein the improved journal lubricant reservoir according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical cross seotion taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lubricant reservoir according to the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line d-t looking in the direction of the arrows of Fig. 1 showing details of the sealing arrangement which may be provided between the journal brass and the lubricant reservoir.

Referring now to the drawings, the lubricant reservoir according to the present invention is shown as being supported within a journal box Hi a railway car truck. In the form of the journal box it herein shown, which is of conventional construction, a pair of side frames H and 52 are cast integrally therewith. The journal box it is provided with an end opening it which may be closed by a journal box lid, not shown, which is pivoted to a pin i supported on lugs IS on the top of the journal box H).

A circular opening ll is provided in the journal box it to receive a journal 58 of a wheel axle E9. The journal I? is provided with a dust guard bearing 2! which is formed between shoulders 22 and 23 on the journal is and the wheel axle 19 respectively. The dust guard bearing H has heretofore been provided with a dust guard, not shown, adapted to be supported within a dust guard slot 24. The dust guard which would normally be retained within the dust guard slot 24 is constructed and arranged so as to prevent the ingress of dirt or other foreign material to the inside of the journal box It.

The load of the railway car is transferred by the side frames H and it onto the journal l8, and the load is distributed by a wedge 25 underlying the top inside surface El of the journal box Hi and onto a journal bearing or brass 28 having a journal bearing liner 29 resting on top of the journal It. The wedge 26 and bearing element 21 are held in place within the box it by means of side bearings 34 and 35 formed to extend inwardly from the side walls of the box It] near the middle thereof.

The overall length of the journal bearing 28 is such as to permit a limited amount of endwise movement of the journal l8, such limited endwise movement being determined by the shoulder 22 and an end collar 3| formed on the journal it. The wedge 25 is positioned between vertical sides 34 and 36 of the journal box l0 and is formed with inclined wedge surfaces 3'5 and 38 on the underside thereof which cooperate respectively with inclined wedge surfaces 39 and l! formed on the upper side of the brass 2:3 so as to maintain the proper position of the brass 2'1 with respect to the wedge 26 at all times.

The conventional journal box, thus far described, has been heretofore packed with oilsoakcd waste making contact with the underside of the journal, so that the rotating journal will wipe a film of lubricant from the waste to maintain lubrication between the bearing liner 29 and the top surface it of the journal. According to the present invention, the conventional journal brass, journal collar and dust guard hearing are arranged to support a lubricant reservoir which will at all times maintain an adequate and contaminant-free supply of lubricant against the journal l8.

According to the present invention, a lubricant reservoir 4% is supported in the manner shown in Fig. 1 upon the journal collar 3! and the dust guard bearing 2!. The lubricant reservoir it is generally cylindrical in shape as shown in Fig. 3, and includes an upper senii-oylindric portion 62 having relatively thick resilient walls molded integrally with a lower semi-cylindrical portion lie having relatively thin flexible walls. One end of the lubricant reservoir ii) is molded with a seal indicated generally at it which encircles the dust guard bearing 2%. The other end of the lubricant reservoir 4:3 is formed with an end wall as having a filler opening d'l therein for introducing a supply of lubricant to the interior of the reservoir 40.

The upper semi-cylindrical portion 32 is molded with a relatively thick wall section and is formed with an opening therein which is defined by oppositely disposed arcuate sides iii! and longitudinally extending sides M. The arcuate sides 49 of the reservoir til are adapted to form sealing contact with arcuate end portions 52 of the journal brass 28, and the longitudinally extending sides 5! are adapted to form sealing contact with lower longitudinal surfaces 53 of the journal brass 28. In order to position the side portions 5! in close relation to the bottom surfaces 53 of the bearing element 28, the side portions are offset inwardly relative to the outer diameters of the end portions of the reservoir shown at 51a.

That of the upper semi-cylindrical portion 32 lying between one of the arcuate sides 49 and the end wall iii defines a flange 5B which is preferably provided on the interior surface thereof with an arouate wear plate as adapted to rest upon the end collar 3!. As shown in Fig. 1, the a crate wear plate it may be bonded to the interior surface of the flange 5% by any well known rubber-to-metal bonding process.

When installing the lubricant reservoir All} in the position shown in Fig. l, the weight of the railway car is first supported upon jacks which will take the load normally restin upon the journal 18. The bearing element 2! is removed and the lubricant reservoir 40 is then introduced into the interior of the journal box IE around the journal l3, and the seal M is brought into the position shown in the dust guard bearing 2i. It should be noted that any suitable form of seal may be used which will permit both rotational and lengthwise movements of the axle relative to the journal bearing, since the reservoir is normally held against moving lengthwise relative to the journal bearing element 28. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 the seal All is provided with a series of grooves 45 which receive packing ele ments which encircle the dust guard bearing 2 i. It is contemplated, for example, that the seal 44 may be of the O-ring type which provides an excellent seal for both rotating and endwise movement of the journal I8 with respect to the seal 44.

After the reservoir is in position, the wedge 26 and the journal brass 28 are inserted into the journal box 10 with the arcuate end portion 52 of the journal brass 28 in firm sealing contact with the arcuate side 49 of the upper semi-cylindrical portion 42 of the reservoir 40. The upper cylindrical portion 42 of the reservoir 40 may be resiliently distorted slightly so that a tight sealing iit is made between the perimeter of the journal brass 28, which includes the arcuate end portions 52 and the lower flange surfaces 53 thereof. Lubricant is then introduced to the interior of the lubricant reservoir 40 to any desired level, and so that the lubricant will be in contact with the underside of the journal I8.

It should here be noted that the lubricant reservoir 56 is formed from a resilient leak-proof material which is resistant to oils and hydrocarbons. One example of a suitable material is neoprene, but the invention contemplates any suitable oil-resistant resilient material- It should here be also noted that the lower semicylindrical portion 46 is formed with relatively thin walls as compared to the wall thickness of the upper semi-cylindrical portion 42. In employing such a construction, it is possible more readily to deform the reservoir 40 sufiiciently to place the same in the position as seen in Fig. 1, and at the same time the weight thereof is reduced. Moreover, the provision of the thin lower wall enables the lowerportion to yield easily with the lubricant, as might be occasioned by variations of pressure within the reservoir resulting from pumping action of the journal incident to its normal lengthwise movements relative to the journal bearing and lubricant reservoir or by severe jolts to the car truck, Without. distorting or disturbing the upper semi-cylindrical portion 1 42, thereby insuring that a'tight seal will be maintained around the perimeter of the journal brass 28 at all times.

In the practice of the invention it is contemplated that the wear of the journal brass 28 be compensated for to the end that a tight seal is maintained at all times against the under-side of'the bearing brass 28.. 'The upper faces of the side portion 5| will normally yield sufficiently to compensate for the wear of the Babbitt liner 29. However, in order to provide a sealing surface which will compress without imposingundue strain on the arcuate portions 42' and 49, strips 54a of soft material, felt, sponge rubber or similar compressible materials may be interposed between the top face of the side portions 5| and the surfaces 53 of the journal brass. Also in order to resist any torque that may be imposed on the reservoir by reason of its frictional engagement with the rotating axle, a. plurality of springs, preferably coil springs 55 are positioned in recesses 56 formed in the sides 5! and bear against the under faces 53 of the bearing brass.

While the invention has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments which it may assume in practice, it is not intended that the invention be limited b the terms of the embodiment shown nor otherwise than by the terms of the claims here appended.

I claim:

1. The combination with a railway car axle journal and a journal bearing associated therewith, of a lubricating device for supplying lubricant to the axle journal and the journal bearing comprising a lubricant retaining reservoir formed from resilient material and wholly supported by said axle journal and adapted to enclose a supply of lubricant therein in contact with the journal, said lubricant retaining reservoir having a portion embracing an inner part of the axle in sealing enga ement therewith and a portion having a substantially semi-cylindrical relatively thick wall formed with an opening therein, the sides of said opening and the resiliency of said thick wall portion providing a sealing contact with the perimeter of said journal bearing to prevent escape of lubricant around said journal bearing, and a relatively thin and flexible wall portion adapted to yield in response to pressure changes within the reservoir and also enabling said reservoir to be easily placed in position on said journal and in resilient con-tact with the perimeter of said journal bearing.

2. The invention as defined by claim 1 characterized in that the outer end of the reservoir is provided with a wear plate held by said lubricant reservoir in a position to ride upon the free end of said axle journal.

3. The combination with a railway car axle journal and a journal bearing associated therewith and provided with end surfaces and with longitudinal edge portions formed with lateral flanges extending axially of the journal and on each side thereof, of a lubricating device for supplying lubricant to the axle journal and to the journal bearing comprising a lubricant retaining reservoir formed of resilient material and supported by said axle and adapted to enclose a supply of lubricant therein in contact with said journal, said lubricant retaining reservoir having an opening therein, the perimeter of which embraces said end surfaces of the journal bearing and is pressed into sealing engagement therewith by the resilience of said reservoir, and means comprising strips of compressible material interposed between portions of the reservoir and said lateral flanges of the bearing and adapted to be compressed by downward movement of the bearing relative to the journal as an incident to the wear on said bearing.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 characterized by the provision of coiled compression springs extending through the compressible strips of material and pressing against portions of the reservoir and said lateral flanges of the bearing to resist torque in the reservoir;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

